Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-04-21
A FURIOUS FIRE,
Hundreds of Prairie Farmers Render
cd Destitute by Terrible Prairie
Fires in Kansas.
Nearly y Score Of Persons Perish
While the Loss TO Live Stocks
Great.

ArcRINsoN, Kan, April 12.--Reports
concerning the destruction of life and
property caused by the great prairie
fire that swept over the eastern portion
of Norton and Graham counties Satur-
aay last are yet meager and unsatisfac-
tory, but enough is known to nppal the
stoutest hearts The fire started IN Nico-
demus, in Graham county. Tho WIND,
which was blowing forty miles an hour,
carried the flames over and through the
dry grasses at frightful speed. The
general destruction of property COM
Taenced near Roscoe, in Graham con ntJ.
Here tho fire spread over tho country for
fully two and half miles in width, and
NJ the wind carried itnorth, was coz
stantly spreading until 10 was seven
miles wide where ID struck the north
fork of the Solomon river, three miles
east of Dinsmore. A few houses were
burned. and every stable with its stacks
of hay and cribs Of gralu, was burned,
leaving hundreds Of farmers almost des-
titute. It is pitiful sight to pass over
the burned district and see the thous-
auds Of burned chickens, turkeys aud
hundreds of hogs, with occasional
horses and numerous cattle. Almost
every farmer lost from fifty to five hun
dred bushels OF corn, besides small grain.
1t definitely known that from thirteen
TO sixteen lives were lost in the two couH-
ties, but names have not been learned.
-Four children persisted IN ono family.
How far the fire extended north from
the Solomnn is not known, but it must
have travelled a long distance,
FAMILY CONSUMED.
At the same time another fire swept
down tho South fork Of the Solomon to a
point near Millbrook, sweeping every
thing in it's path and barning six persons
to death father, neither, and four child
remand n largo number of cattle, horses,
hogs, and poultry. In one instance a
woman prematurely gave birth to child
When the fire was discovered approach
ing her husband took her in his arms and
started for the plowed ground, but before
he reached IL the weman's clothing was
on ire. lie succeeded in putting IT out
and saving her life. The babe, loss than
an hour old, with the other members of
the family, was saved, but the house and
other property on the farm was destroy
ed. Hundreds of narrow escapes could
be related,
The burnt district extends n distance
of over sixty miles in length by two and
A half to seven in width. Starting on the
south fork Of the Soloman river in Ora.
ham county the fire swept Eort to the
north fork, which It crossed at Edmund
"A station on the Central Branch railroad
in Norton county, and at last accounts i
was still sweeping toward the northwes
diagoually across Norton county, in tn,
direction OF Decatur the adjoining
county on the west, carrying destruction
and death in its path.
Thousands of head of stock of all kinds
have been burned, and thousands of tons
of hay, corn, and wheat, and from 100 t.
175 houses and barns have been de
stroyed.
Saturday was frightful day, one long
TO be remembered by great man!
families in Norton and Graham counties
HURON, d. r., April Traditional re
ports of disaster by prairie fire still ar
rive In the vicinity of Washington, Mr.
Rock lost his house and barns, his house
hold goods and clothing. Ed. Waburn
house and outbuildlugs were burned. Mr.
Il. Moves lost his house, furniture anC
outbulldinge. John Styles lost house
furniture, outbuildings grain and cloth
ing WA. Toothavher saved his build
iRgs, but his grove was ruined. john
Baughman lost his barn, all his machinery
farming implements, etc. Nicholas Shrub
lost his barns, granary and large
amount OF wheat, machinery, etc Editor
Byros OF Altoona, had his house burned
loss $500. Wan. Morarity, of Broadland
had pair Of mules, stable and granary
destroyed South of Huron the fire OF
Friday burned another barn, belonging
TO DR.. Sanborn, OF Chicago, worth $1,000
Miss Kate Maloney, who was dangerously
burned 10y the fire, is gaining slowly, but
her recovery is very doubtful. There
were heavy rains here on Saturday a1d
Sunday night and this morning.
Tho fire originated IN the vicinity OF
the town of Washington Hills and swept
down toward the town of Washington
thirty miles west of Huron, burning every
thing in its course, Beadle county has
never before experienced such Il fire. II
was driven bp q wind blowing forty miles
an hour, and travelled faster than horse
could run.